Composite materials have various advantageous properties over conventional metal materials. In particular, composite materials may be lighter than metals such as aluminum. However, some composite matrix materials do not perform well at high sustained temperatures. For example, toughened epoxy based composites typically are limited to sustained temperatures of approximately 250° F. (120° C.). Polyimide based composites can be used at sustained temperatures of up to about ˜500° F. (260° C.). However, polyimide composites are susceptible to microcracking after prolonged exposure to such high temperatures.
Inner fixed structures of the thrust reverser in aircraft nacelles may be subject to high temperatures from a gas turbine engine contained within the nacelle during flight. For inner fixed structures that may be comprised of epoxy based composites, a thermal blanket may be attached to the IFS to protect the IFS from heat from the engine. However, the thermal blanket and the hardware used for attaching the blanket to the composite may increase the size and weight of the IFS. The thermal blanket also makes it difficult to directly access the composite IFS for routine inspection. It may be desirable to build a lightweight composite IFS without a thermal blanket. However, conventional epoxy based composite materials used in an IFS may not perform well at the operating temperatures reached without a thermal blanket.